Prof. Willy Decker
Willy Decker studied philosophy, theatre, music and singing in his hometown of Cologne. He started out as assistant director in Essen and at Cologne Opera, where he soon became artistic director of music. His opera productions at the end of the 1970s brought him widespread recognition, nationally and internationally. His productions such as Elektra in Amsterdam, La Traviata at the Salzburger Festspiele, Lulu at the Staatsoper Wien, and the world premiere of Aribert Reimann’s Das Schloss at the Deutsche Oper in Berlin have made him one of the most renowned directors in Europe. In 2001 he was honoured with the Ordre Chevalier des Arts et des Lettres for his contribution to French cultural life. Since 2005 he has been an honorary professor for musical theatre directing at the Hochschule für Musik Hans Eisler in Berlin.